< Acts 8 >
1 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the church which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
2 Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
3 But Saul ravaged the church, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around proclaiming the word.
5 And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.
6 The crowds listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.
7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 There was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that power of God which is called Great."
11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit;
16 for he had not yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."
20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.
21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask the Lord if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."
24 Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me."
25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert."
27 And he arose and went. And look, there was a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Kandake, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge over all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and he was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot."
30 And running near, Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation his justice was taken away. Who will declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch answered Philip, "Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?"
35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus.
36 As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?"
37 And he said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
